1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gift package for expectant mothers, and, more particularly, to a gift package for expectant mothers comprising an array of assembled component gift items, which when assembled, are sized and shaped so as to resemble an infant.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is replete with examples of amusement devices and amusement apparatus having functionality in addition to their respective underlying amusing effect. In this regard, infant and/or animal-simulating dolls and the like have often been developed with an eye toward combining several utilitarian functions into a single embodiment. Dolls having storage capability for blankets and related bedding materials, for example, are known in the prior art, some of which are described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,633, which issued to Pickens, discloses a Combination Doll and Blanket. The doll has a conically shaped hollow trunk portion and is comprised of a flexible material that encases a tucked blanket or similar bedding material. The conically shaped trunk portion has a tapered end and a pair of selectively releasable fastening strips opposite the tapered end. The fastening strips serve to secure the blanket within the trunk portion when the tucked blanket configuration is desired and release the blanket from the trunk portion when the open blanket configuration is desired. The blanket is integrally attached to the doll and comprises the stuffing for the trunk portion of the doll when in a tucked configuration. Embellishments such as a hollow head, arms and legs are attached to the trunk portion to constitute a doll with appendages. While the hollow head may provide storage for a portion of the blanket, the embellishments are attached to the trunk portion solely to create a limbed-doll configuration and do not serve an otherwise utilitarian role.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,511, which issued to Burnett et al, teaches a combination Doll and Pillow Carrying Case wherein the carrying case has the shape and structure of a rectangular pillow further comprising a pocket. Tucked inside the pocket is an integrally formed doll figure having head, arm and leg members, which may be exposed by opening the pocket and extricating the appendages, thus converting an otherwise pillow shaped item into a doll figure as desired. The appendages of the doll of U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,511 also serve the sole function of creating a limbed doll configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,930, which issued to Danova, discloses a Combined Soft Sculpture and Blanket. This patent teaches a soft plush toy embracing the shape of any number of creatures or objects. The toy has both a hollow torso portion and hollow head portion. Integrally attached to the pre-selected creature configuration or the pre-selected object configuration is a blanket or similar article, which, when not being used in an opened blanket configuration, is in a tucked blanket configuration inside the hollow head and hollow torso portions. Appendages are added to complete the configuration of the creature or object as desired but again serve no further function.
The prior art also teaches doll-like structures, which incorporate appendages having storage functionality. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,300, which issued to Sonders, discloses a Combination Carrying Device and Toy. This disclosure teaches a doll-like structure having at least one inner cavity for storing child-oriented accessories. The legs are described as capable of storing appropriately shaped baby accessories, such as an infant""s bottle or similarly shaped article. Essentially, the carrying case is one that is configured to resemble and infant or animal and the like and is assembled from an appropriately flexible fabric to create the amusing effect of the doll-like structure. Doll-like structures, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,300, teach doll-simulative casings having inner cavities for holding child-oriented accessories and/or merchandise, but do not teach doll-like structures comprised of child-oriented accessories and/or merchandise.
Baby gift packages are also known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,675, which issued to Otis, discloses a Baby Merchandise Display Package. This package is designed to display sets of footwear and other baby merchandise such as a baby rattle. The package is box-like in appearance and includes a light transmissive sleeve as an aid to prevent handling of the merchandise yet allows consumers opportunity to view the arranged merchandise. U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,658, which issued to Pietrafesa, discloses a Simulated Baby Bottle Gift Set. Similarly, this disclosure permits consumers to view an array of baby-oriented merchandise through a light transmissive container comprising the cylindrical body portion of an enlarged simulative baby bottle. The baby-oriented merchandise is arranged inside the light transmissive container so as to create a more alluring effect. The container is capped with a nipple-simulative member, thus completing the baby bottle configuration.
None of the prior art patents described above teaches a gift set wherein an array of child-oriented merchandise is arranged and assembled to create the amusing doll-like structure. Each disclosure herein described teaches a structure having storage functionality capable of storing child-oriented merchandise or subject matter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,460, which issued to Lin, discloses Assembled Articles Comprising Stretch Knitted Rings. This disclosure does teach the assemblage of fanciful doll-like structures from a plurality of flexible and stretchable ring-like members. This disclosure does not teach a gift set wherein an array of child-oriented merchandise other than stretchable ring-like members is assembled and presented to the consumer in an amusing doll-like form.
Accordingly, one objective of the present invention is to provide a gift set package for expectant mothers comprising an array of child-oriented accessories and/or merchandise. Another objective of the present invention is to arrange and assemble an array of child-oriented accessories and/or merchandise in such a manner so as to heighten the amusing effect of receiving a gift set package. Yet another object of the present invention is to arrange and assemble an array of child-oriented accessories and/or merchandise in such a manner so as to resemble an infant-simulating doll, thus further heightening the amusing effect of receiving a gift set package. Still another object of the present invention is to provide an infant-simulating doll, which, when disassembled at the election of the recipient, has individually utilitarian, component parts each being useful in the manner for which it was originally designed.
To attain these objectives, the claimed invention generally comprises the combination of an elastic sleeve having an open end and a closed end opposite the open end. Two spatially inferior limb openings or leg openings are adjacent to the closed end of the elastic sleeve at opposite edges of the elastic sleeve. Intermediate the length between the open end of the elastic sleeve and the closed end of the elastic sleeve are two spatially superior limb openings or arm openings similarly at opposite edges of the elastic sleeve.
A spatially inferior, flexible, elongate, cylindrically shaped gift item, namely, a furled receiving blanket extends transversely through the aforementioned spatially inferior limb openings thus providing the elastic sleeve with spatially inferior limb simulating members or leg-simulating members extending from opposite sides thereof. The leg-simulating members each have a proximal leg region that is adjacent to the respective leg opening in the elastic sleeve and a distal leg end that is preferably bound to prevent the distal leg end from unfurling.
A spatially superior, flexible, elongate, cylindrically shaped gift item, namely, a furled bath towel extends transversely through the aforementioned spatially superior limb openings or arm openings thus providing the elastic sleeve with spatially superior limb simulating members or arm-simulating members extending from opposite sides thereof. The arm-simulating members each have a proximal arm region that is adjacent to the respective arm openings in the elastic sleeve and a distal arm end that is preferably bound to prevent the distal arm end from unfurling.
At least one gift item sized and shaped so as to resemble an infant torso, namely, a furled crib blanket is sandwiched between the furled receiving blanket and the furled bath towel being longitudinally encased within the elastic sleeve, thus providing the elastic sleeve with a torso-simulating portion.
A spherically shaped gift item, namely, a rounded toy-like structure is inserted into the elastic sleeve through the open end coming to rest spatially medial and superior to the furled bath towel, thus creating head-simulating structure. The elastic sleeve is then preferably twisted closed at a point adjacent to the head-simulating structure remote from the open end of the elastic sleeve. The open end is turned down over the head-simulating structure into surrounding relation with the head-simulating structure thus providing neck-simulating structure between the head-simulating structure and the arm-simulating members.
The resultant infant-simulative assembly or basic baby doll gift assembly may be further outfitted with infant accessories and/or merchandise as desired to complete the baby doll gift set.
The gift set may also assume a fanciful creature embodiment and in this instance, the gift set may be sized and shaped to resemble a fanciful creature as desired. The gift set has component parts comprising an elastic fabric sleeve, which simulates a torso. The elastic sleeve further comprises an open end and a closed end opposite the open end. At least one gift item having torso-simulating bulk is longitudinally encased within the elastic sleeve adjacent the closed end. A spherically shaped gift item is inserted into the elastic sleeve spatially medial and superior to the gift item having torso-simulating bulk thus creating a head-simulating structure. The elastic sleeve is closed at a point adjacent the head-simulating structure remote from the open end thus creating an upper section of the elastic sleeve. The upper section is elastically expanded and inverted over an underlying portion of the elastic sleeve. The leading most portion of the open end is then elastically contracted on the spatially inferior portion of the spherically shaped gift item in secured relation thus providing a neck-simulating structure between the spherically shaped gift item and the gift item having torso-simulating bulk to secure the spherically shaped gift item in secured assembly with the elastic sleeve.
The resultant fanciful creature assembly may be further outfitted with pre-selected outer body wear as desired to complete the fanciful creature gift set.